A Bridge Between Two Peoples
by Earthia
Summary: One shot. The Fortress of Solitude survived the Battle of Metropolis along with something abroad that will change Kal-El's outlook on Earth and life.


"You called," he asked in his baritone voice as he deftly landed behind General Swanwick.

Swanwick turned around with a slight roll of his eye, and a shake of his head. He would never get use to the silent entrances of the Man of Steel. Nodding respectfully, "We have something we would like you to look at with us."

Carefully did Kal-El look past the General and then back toward him with knowing suspicion, "And what might that be?" Raising at an eyebrow at the General's feigned ignorance he smiled added, "Lead walls?"

Swanwick sighed, "There was some concern when it came to our knowledge that you may be able to see through our facilities."

"I have already stated I mean you no harm," Kal-El interjected, leveling the General with a firm stare.

"Are we not allowed our own secrets, Kal-El?" Swanwick rebuttal, trying to appeal to Kal-El's own sense of privacy.

"Not when those secrets personally concern me, General. I take my responsibility to this planet very seriously, but I can't take the risk that any of your secrets may endanger the ones I love," briefly an image of Lois smiling at him flittered through his mind. Pushing thoughts of Lois and his mother aside, "Lead the way General."

Nodding, "I understand, Kal-El," then turning his began to walk into the laboratory that had been built on the outskirts of Metropolis. "There's a high probably what you see may…make you question our motives, but please understand," here he stopped and turned with empathetic eyes, "We are curious. As humans we are compelled by our curiosities, even if perhaps they may seem like cautious suspicions."

Nodding at Swanwick, Kal-El understood. The constantly present curiosity surrounding his home world haunted his every day. The fate of his home world and its citizens, like his biological parents. Knowledge that perhaps he would spend his days alone. There was so much he wished he could ask Jor-El, but he was gone…destroyed by Zod and the Fortress of Solitude had disappeared in the wake of the destruction. Kal-El was left to ponder his curiosities alone….no matter how Lois Lane tried to dig into them. Lois, the one most infuriating troublesome woman on the entire planet that went and complicated everything about his life. He loved her that he could not deny, no matter how hard he tried even to her. Thoughts of Lois and their muddled relationship were too much for him to debate.

Following the general forward they passed several labs, each had been cleared prior to his arrival. All civilian personnel it appeared had been removed from the building, leaving only a skeleton crew of military personnel, a testament perhaps to their trust in him or to the secret they possessed.

"We had every intention to give it back," Swanwick began startling Kal-El from his thoughts, "But the ship's A.I. recently asked for you, Kal-El," Swanwick added with just a hint of a smile.

Stepping forward into the large hanger, he was shocked to behold the remnants of the Fortress of Solitude. The core of the ship was still intact, though he could see that the tail end of the ship had been destroyed. It also appeared that several attempts had been begun to restore the haul of the ship. Attempting to cover his shock, he turned to the General, "May I?"

"We've been informed that she's your ship," Swanwick added wryly, walking with Kal-El toward the entry, "The AI, who we refer to as the Guardian, is a bit more than we bargained for when we began making attempts at restoring the ship."

"And you were going to give this back to me?" Kal-El asked skeptically raising an eyebrow at the General.

"Once we had satisfied our own curiosities, Kal-El," stepping onto the ship he called out, "Miss An?"

"Hello General Swanwick," and turning she smiled brightly at Kal-El, "And greetings son of Jor-El. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Kal-El was shocked, perhaps more than that stunned by the AI that appeared before him. Though she was a projection, similar to Jor-El's consciousness, she was beautiful, auburn hair fell in soft waves and bright blue eyes sparkled with knowledge.

"May I walk with Kal-El, General Swanwick? He and I have much to discuss," Miss An turned addressing the General.

The General nodded to Kal-El and Miss An, "Find me when you are through, Kal-El," and with that he took his leave of the ship.

"I am Zelda-An, but you may simply call me Zelda, Kal," she said addressing him again in her cheerful manner, "As with Jor-El, I am but a shadow of the consciousness of Zelda-An, but prior to her leaving the Fortress she left me with particular instruction to watch over this world."

"Why didn't you make yourself known when I was here with Jor-El," Kal-El asked skeptically eyeing the sheepish look that passed across the pale complexion of the beautiful AI.

"It was my intention," here she paused, "When you and the young Miss Lane came aboard the ship, I felt compelled to remain concealed. It wasn't time yet….Though I did retrieve as much information from Jor-El's own AI as I could without alerting him to my presence. Much like those of the House El, the children of An were bred for politics, research, and investigation."

Something about the AI before him, perhaps it was in her mannerism or her looks, but there was something oddly familiar about her, that Kal-El just couldn't place. Even as she explained herself, the almost guilty, look that passed was familiar. Brushing aside any crazy ideas he looked past her, "Will you explain to me then, your part on this ship?"

"That is actually why I requested your presence," she said with a smile as she began to quickly walk through the corridors of the ship. "As Jor-El explained we were a scouting party sent to colonize other worlds, but that's where our story differs from the average scouting party," she said throwing a smiling over her shoulder at him, "We couldn't bear to use the World Generator, on this planet when we arrived. There were already humans colonizing the planet," here she paused and looked at him with such wonder in her blue eyes, "…but it wasn't just that there were human here, it was that they looked and acted so much like us. There was still so much potential to be had… Perhaps they would not make the same mistakes of our own people."

Glancing at her, he noted the far off look in her eye, "What happened next, Zelda?"

"Oh well we arrived and began exploring…and adapting. Much as you have found, we thrived on this new world. And some of our party began to infiltrate the humans. Particularly, Tor-El, a scientist with us. He was enamored with the humans, and then he fell in love. A young human girl….," pausing as they reached what had once been the star deck, windows looking out at the hanger surrounded them, "You should know that once upon a time, the Kryptonians mated for life. This joining of the souls resulted in not only children but also a mutual life, they would die one day together at the end of their lives."

"Awfully poetic," Kal-El said aloud as he walked the circumference of room, taking everything in the hanger and the deck in.

"Yes," she said with a smile, "Well Tor-El and girl, Daphne, conceived a child. Several my crew members were in enraged by the development, especially as there was a high probably this child would inherit many of the gifts we had discovered in ourselves on this world…gifts we had not reported back to Krypton."

He stopped mid-step, a child half-human half-krypton had been conceived. Again the image of Lois passed through his mind. Could he endanger her with this? Since his arrival at the Planet, he had made every attempt to keep her at arm's length to ensure her safety, but no matter how hard he tried and what lengths he went to, Lois always managed to find herself in the midst of trouble. Trouble that ultimately required the Man of Steel. Thus making people wonder about the relationship between the trouble-making Pulitzer's Prize Reporter and Man of Steel.

"What happened to the child?" he asked, curious to know, his blues nearly imploring the AI Zelda to give him hope.

"Well, as your father also explained to you, there had not been a natural birth in some centuries," here the AI looked away and perhaps may have blushed if she could have, "I was also pregnant with our military commander's child. General Lan and I had begun an affair prior to our departure from Krypton, both he and I were destined for political marriages upon our arrival back to Krypton. As well it should be said that descendants of the Houses Lan and An typically did not associate."

Smiling, he wryly stated, "But you and he did."

"Zelda-An and Var-Lan were very much in love," here she produced an holographic image of the General, tall and well built like many of the Kryptonians, grey eyes and platinum blonde hair. "They sided with Tor-El, and Var-Lan married Tor-El and Daphne using Kryptonian customs. It sent several of the crew into a rage, but not all."

Waving her hand, a sphere of the planet Earth appeared between Zelda and Kal-El, upon which tiny glittering dots appeared, spread out around the world. "Others like Captain Fa and Mara-Ul, who were also having an affair sided with our cause, rallying that we should protect this world against the World Generator and future Kryptonian colonization. Members of the crew began to side with us until, it was us against, Maester Lucian-Ex and Tyrell- Ix.

Both, they and their few supporters among the crew were going to send a message of our rebellion to Krypton….so Zelda with Tor-El's assistance wrote over the previous transmission, stating that the beings of Earth were advanced, they sent a transmission detailing their place in the galaxy and Human anatomy. Stating that the Human were going to attack…the last message sent was a distress. The Council of Krypton was known for never answering distress calls...When Lucian-Ex had discovered what was done he went on a rage about the ship. We knew that Tyrel-Ix would stop at nothing to send another transmission, so….we placed Ix in the cryo-chamber and deprived him of oxygen slowly as he slept."

"And Lucian?" Kal asked dreading her response.

"He disappeared. Perhaps to die alone, walking among the humans. We searched for him, but could not locate him or any scorched earth in his wake."

"And the child of Tor-El and Daphne?" he asked slightly anxious to hear what had become of the child of two worlds.

"They had a son, who grew to have many sons and daughters of his own, in addition to his parents other children. Mara-Ul and Captain Fa left to seek out their own place in this world, though they did have six beautiful daughters, for which the house of Fa had always been renowned. Others who were left, began to leave to find a new home. Thus Var and Zelda took the Fortress and placed it within the Arctic Ice, hidden from the humans and any extraterrestrial visitors…that is until you," she finished brightly eyeing him curiously.

Wonder spread across his features, "So there are others like me here on Earth?"

Smiling, "Not quite like you," she replied impishly, "Though," glancing at the globe which now hovered between them as the pin points glittered around it, "There are many of Kryptonian descent among the Earthlings. Many are quite the adventurers and others quite intelligent like their forefathers," she added proudly.

"Do you know who they are," he asked puzzled.

"Many," she replied sadly, "I have been able to track them based on many databases I have been able to infiltrate since the advent of your internet," smiling she waved her hand and another hologram appeared of a well-dressed gentlemen, expensive suit, slicked back dark brown hair, a smirk gracing his angular features as his grey eyes sparkled brightly at the woman he was dancing with. Her fine brown eyes stared daringly back from her pale complexion, and her own dark hair was swept back.

Kal-El was startled as he recognized the man, no billionaire in the image. Turning, looking questioningly at the AI, "That was Bruce Wayne."

"No that is Bruce Wayne," she replied cheerfully, "And his charming wife."

"He's a Kryptonian descendant?"

Nodding she stepped forward, "Are they not beautiful together? He a son of El and she a daughter of Fa, who have managed to find themselves in a world of billions. And both so powerful," turning she smirked, "You are surprised?"

"Amazed," Kal-El breathed as he watched the hologram of the two move about as they danced, though it seemed more of a fight then a dance. "Do they have…."

"No," she interjected, "They do not possess any of the gifts you have, though they do possess high levels of intelligence, stamina and a troublesome sense of adventure…You will learn more about them as time goes on I believe," she added vaguely. Waving her hand the Waynes disappeared and were replaced by others, some were scientist and others were military personnel, some were politicians and philanthropists. "They are scattered among the Humans, but they are Earthlings nonetheless," as she waved her hand once more many of the holograms began to disappear until she stopped before a young woman in a lab coat.

"She reminds me of myself," she said as they watched the young woman brush back a strand of dark red hair as she poured over the paperwork, "She is a true investigator, about to graduate as a Ph.D. in Astrobiology, quite fitting I think."

Kal-El watched the young woman, noting again the sense of familiarity he felt when he first saw Zelda. "You will no doubt one day find ally is this young woman," she said smiling triumphantly, and then she turned and glanced across the room at the large dominating man dressed as a United State general. "And this, her father, I have met. He was aboard the ship and was quite curious about me…Apparently his mother looked remarkably like me, a resemblance I share with many of descendants."

"You've met him," he restated approaching the domineering figure, who turned cold blue eyes toward him, "General Lane," he breathed stated in shock as he read the badge, and turned with hope toward Zelda.

Nodding her head, "Yes, Kal-El, the young Dr. Lane and General Lane are two of my favorite descendants, but it is Miss Lois Lane I hold most dear. She is has a knack for trouble, meddlesomeness which truly astounds me at all costs and her inquisitiveness is truly the best of Kryptonian intelligence and natural Human curiosity."

"She was the only one outside of Smallville to put all the pieces together," he said ironically as he watched the hologram of Lois appear, with her hands on her hips obviously laying down the law with someone.

"Miss Lane was the only one who could decipher the clues," Zelda replied proudly and when Kal-El looked he was sure of what he had seen before. While Zelda was not an identical replica of Lois, there were undeniable similarities between the two.

"You are the bridge between two peoples, and Lois I believe is your match in every way," Zelda sighed, a soft smiling playing across her face, "You could be so happy."

"How will I protect them both, Lois and my family, and the world?" he asked as he turned to stare out the star deck windows.

Shaking her head, "You will not be alone, there are others out there of Kryptonian descent and not, that are fighting to keep the world save from harm. You need not do this alone," she replied solemnly. "You need only reach out to those who are of like mind, and they will help you, Kal-El, protect this world and your family."

Sighing he glanced again from the globe to Zelda, "And Lois she will…"

"She will be infuriated with you if you do not tell her that you love her," Zelda added with a knowing look, raising one eyebrow in challenge, much the same way Clark had seen General Lane and Lois eye each other on the rare occasions the two were together.

Smiling, brightly with farm boy charm, "I'll be back, please let General Swanwick know."

"Of course, Kal-El, and I will be waiting," she replied with a kind smile.


End file.
